1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a television device and a method of identifying consecutive programmes, in particular where a television provider transmits a series of consecutive programmes as a programme series and television devices are desired automatically to identify all consecutive programmes of that programme series.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various systems are known for identifying at a user device consecutive television programmes of a programme series. A television provider provides to users an electronic programme guide which includes a plurality of programme entries for respective television programmes. The programme entries can be provided with specific data which links the consecutive programmes or episodes of a programme series such that a television device can recognise from one programme entry the programme entries relating to consecutive programmes of the same programme series.
It is known to provide a television device with a recording function. The television device can be arranged to record consecutive programmes of the same programme series. Having been set to record one programme in the series, which will be described here as the start programme, the television device is arranged to search programme entries of the electronic programme guide for data in those programme entries indicating a corresponding consecutive programme of the programme series.
It is known to conduct this search only at the time of recording the start programme, such that if no consecutive programme yet appears on the electronic programme guide for scheduling reasons or due to some error in the electronic programme guide, further recording of programmes in the programme series ceases. Irrespective, earlier such systems rely on the television provider providing the data linking the consecutive programmes of the programme series.